Senate GOP, Dems agree on new sanctions on Russia

Carrie Doyle | June 14, 2017, 0:48

I believe that this process is not orchestrated [by US President Donald] Trump. "But we haven't passed a bill", he told reporters. The review language would be structured "much like we did in other places", such as the 2015 legislation that required former President Barack Obama to submit his administration's nuclear pact with Iran to Congress, Corker said. Third, banning the USA administration to withdraw any sanctions against Russian Federation without the approval of the Congress.

Codify and strengthen existing sanctions contained in executive orders on Russia, including the sanctions impact on certain Russian energy projects and on debt financing in key economic sectors.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has said the Senate will hold a vote to add the amendment to an Iran sanctions bill, S. 722, being debated this week. This bill will be put to the vote this week.

Sen. Ben Cardin, the top Democrat on foreign relations, expressed confidence Monday that Trump would sign off on it.

"We hope that by tonight we might be able to have an agreement on an amendment".

"We're going continue to call them out as we need to".

A spokesman for Cardin didn't immediately respond to a request for comment on Corker's comments.

The Senate foreign relations committee's chairman Senator Bob Corker had initially shown an unwillingness to handle a bill on Russian Federation sanctions in his committee. Lawmakers have been tightlipped about the details of their negotiations, which have sparked a frenzy of meetings around Capitol Hill.

The bipartisan amendment would also put existing sanctions imposed by presidential order into law while giving Congress the power to review, and potentially block, any effort by the White House to ease existing sanctions on Russian Federation.

On Monday, Senate leaders reached a consensus to roll out more sanctions on #Russia and make it very tough for the President to override.

The legislation is backed by both Republicans and Democrats, and is expected to easily pass the Senate.

Schumer reiterated his desire for a deal in a floor speech Monday, saying "Democrats feel strongly that Russian Federation sanctions should move alongside Iran sanctions, and we're prepared to do what we can to make sure that we get a vote on a good amendment - hopefully a bipartisan one".

Senators introduced a provision on June 12 meant to punish Moscow for its alleged meddling in the 2016 election, its annexation of Ukraine's Crimea and its support for the government of Syria.